Friday, July 1, 2011

Don't be fooled by the really low price tag! The Casio CTK 4000 is actually a full-featured keyboard that delivers a great deal of bang for your buck. It's perfect for newbies right on up to the not-so-new, and offers fun functions that help develop ability levels.

The Casio CTK 4000 boasts a 61-key workstation-type keyboard. It is possible to choose from two levels of touch response, or can shut it off altogether, should you prefer. The keys are touch sensitive, but do not replicate the feel of an actual piano. (This keyboard is not ideal for highly-skilled keyboardists who expect to play lightning-fast runs or trills.) There are 570 different sounds, from strings to brass to woodwinds, and various piano voices to choose from. Strike up a rhythmic beat from the selection of 180 presets, and your music will take on a whole new life!

There's an onboard set of lessons that allow you to learn new songs phrase by phrase for fun and learning. Do you have a favorite song? Hook up to your mp3 player and have some accompaniment fun! Or, if you aspire to compose your own top ten hit, you'll find the MIDI interface to be a great composer's helper. Have fun making music your way with the Casio.

Your practice sessions are for your ears only when you use the headphones. You won't have to schedule your practice time around other people's schedules, or worry that you might bother your neighbors. Later, you can unplug the 'phones and show off your progress!

Here's a quick list of some of the other main attractions of the CTK 4000:

--No amp necessary, thanks to onboard speakers--570 tone voicings--152 pre-recorded songs for fun and learning--Keyboard Game to help increase keyboard skills--Step-up Lessons for learningn lots of new songs, bit by bit--Record and play-back practice and performances--Battery or ac adapter power--Audio input--play along with CDs or mp3s--Auto accompaniment for the left hand--Auto harmonize to add depth to the melody--Arpeggiator for your choice of 90 automatic arpeggio patterns--Transpose your song to any key automatically--Sound sampling

Here's a video of the Casio CTK 4000 in action:

No single unit is perfect for everyone, and the CTK 4000 is no exception.You might prefer to keep shopping if:You need a unit with weighted keys.You are replacing or would prefer a traditional piano.You will be using your keyboard on a heavy performance schedule.

For a complete package, add the keyboard stand, bench and sustain pedal. You'll find your practices a lot more comfortable with the keyboard stand and bench, and you are just plain going to need the pedal to make smooth transitions as you play.You can probably find all these items packaged together with the keyboard at a very attractive price.

Most reviewers give glowing reviews of the Casio CTK 4000. Among the negatives noted were that the power supply required replacement very soon after the purchase, and a second said that a higher grade of headphones would be better. Overall, customers were quite pleased with their purchases.